Churchill Chronicles 2
by Doc Lee
Summary: The Second in my Churchiil Series of fics, starts moments after the first finished. Rating is an M as the characters are a bit potty mouthed
1. Chapter 1

'Hey sis?' Flt Off Louise Sahara acidly spat at Flt Off Michael Charleston as he lay on the ground clutching his broken nose, 'The moment you sided with that creature you ceased to be family. The hell she put dad and I through caused the fucking heart attack that killed him!'

'What in the blue hell is going on here.' Lt Col John Sheppard bellowed as he pushed his way through the group.

'Ask that little bugger,' and with that Louise stormed off barging her way past Ronon who had wandered over to see what the noise was.

'Not here John,' Mike mumbled through the pain as he was helped to his feet. 'She's broken it again.'

'Again?' Sheppard frowned.

'Long story Sheppard,' Flt Lt James Johnson replied. 'Richard, go find Lou make sure she calms down then bring her to the gate room.'

'Will do.' Flt Off Richard McLaren replied before scurrying after the angry woman.

'Right then,' James sighed. 'I need to make a report to your boss, but once that is done I'll ask you to assist me in sorting this feud out once and for all.'

'That sounds like a good idea,' Sheppard frowned. 'Mike, you head to see the doc then I want you in on this meeting.' With that he walked off muttering.

'What did I miss?' Ronon just stood there staring at the door he'd just come through.

CHAPTER

It wasn't hard for Richard to track Lou's path through the twists and turns of Atlantis, all he had to do was follow the trail of spilled papers and questioning stares.

A five full minutes after setting off after his team mate Richard found the woman sat on the edge of a balcony, her long legs dangling off the edge as she flicked at the ocean below.

Sliding down beside her he let out a small chuckle.

'Nice right hook Lou, I think you broke his nose,' He laughed openly before adding. 'Again'

Getting no response Richard gently nudged her shoulder before leaning over. 'You ok now?'

'Not really no,' she replied quietly as she stared out at the horizon. 'Why does he have to be here?'

'Why are we all here?' Richard quipped only to get seared by a glare from Louise. 'Look I know what happened, and I can understand the anger you have for your brother and mother, it's inexcusable what she did, but as I've said before I could see why he did what he did.'

'It still doesn't make it right.' Lou muttered.

Richard nodded. 'No it doesn't, but your beef is with her not him, well not entirely him.'

Getting up he headed towards the entranceway. 'Listen, Colonel Sheppard wanted me to bring you up to the gate room once I found you.' Richard spoke up after a few minutes of silence.

'Guess I was going to have to face the music sooner rather than later,' Louise grumbled as she stood up. 'Um, which way is the gate room?'

'You know,' Richard laughed sheepishly. 'I've no clue.'

'Then we just nab the first person we see.' Lou shrugged and proceeded back into the City.

Stepping off the balcony and into the corridor after his friend Richard looked around for someone to point the way. The first person he collared sported a Scottish patch on their arm.

'Thank god!,' Richard sighed. 'A fellow Brit.'

'Aye,' responded the man, his voice distinctly Scottish. 'Though I would call myself Scottish not British.'

'To each their own I guess,' Lou smiled. 'We need your help. We literally just got here and we don't know which way is which.'

'Ah!,' The man smiled. 'The freighter, lovely to see you all safe and well after the wee emergency. Going up to the gate room?

'That we are.' Richard replied.

'As luck would have it I'm going the same way, what with the medical situation up there.'

'I'm told Mike's broken his nose again,' the man replied at the slight quizzical looks he received. 'Though how he could do that in the gate room I'll never know.'

Holding out his hand the man introduced himself. 'Carson Beckett, co-CMO of this place.'

'Louise and Richard,' Lou pointed between herself and Richard. 'Though I prefer Lou to Louise.'

'Pleasure to meet the two of ye,' Carson beamed. 'Now, if you'll follow me.' Carson turned and started to stiffly walk down the corridor. Lou and Richard traded confused glances.

'Had a wee accident a month ago,' Carson had picked up on the glances and proceeded to explain. 'Got a bit too close to an exploding tumor. Severed my spinal cord at the L1-L2 region.'

'Fuck,' Lou blurted. 'But how….?'

''Our guilty genius constructed a plate that screws onto my spine and enables the nerve signals to bypass the severed area.'

'Guilty?' Richard raised an eyebrow.

'Rodney assigned a pair of new techs onto the machine that caused all the kerfuffle,' Carson spoke as he led the pair into a small closet. Turning he touched a screen and the doors closed before the trio were bathed in white light. When the doors opened Carson chuckled as he looked out onto a different scene than before the doors had shut. 'No matter how many times I tell him it wasn't his fault he cannae accept it.'

'Guilt is a hard thing to over come Doc,' Lou replied somberly as they walked up the large staircase that was the focal point of the gate room. 'Deservedly or not.'

Stepping into the console area of the control room Richard spotted the small office just off the busy space. A small office that was already containing James, Sheppard, Charleston and a dark haired woman that Richard assumed was Dr Elizabeth Weir.

Approaching the room all heads inside turned to the group.

'Oh boy.' Lou muttered as she saw the stony looks from some of the occupants of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

'You've got that right,' Sheppard replied tightly. 'What in the blazes made you assault Mike? And what the hell is this about sister?'

'To answer the second question first,' Lou replied as she stood before the desk. 'He and I are born of the same people. While he has the same blood in his veins as I do Charleston is not my brother and I am not his sister.'

'Oww!' Mike snapped as Carson gently robed his nose.

'Carson?' Weir asked.

'Not broken,' Beckett sighed. 'The lass was close though. A bit more pressure and it would have snapped.'

'You still haven't said why you had to punch him?' Sheppard continued to stare at Louise as she stood staring at a spot just over his left shoulder.

'Lou,' James quietly spoke. 'Just tell the man. Get this shit sorted.' 

Sighing Lou let her head hang as she ran a hand through her long hair. 'This is tough for me to even think about let alone talk…When I was 13 I caught the woman that gave birth to me shagging a man that wasn't my father. I had no idea what to do, so I went to this twit here,' Lou waved her hand dismissively at Mike. 'He just told me to, and I quote, 'fuck off and play with your Barbie's like a good girl.''

'Four years later she fucked up, and the slut was caught. The first thing dad did after kicking the bastards arse out the house was to call the lawyers and have divorce papers drawn up.'

'She made the whole process a living hell for dad,' Lou breathed deeply before carrying on. 'She lied and lied throughout it all. Called him abusive and that he drank all the time. Every single claim she made was proven false and she lost every demand she made bar one.'

'She got the house,' Lou continued as she sat down in an empty seat between James and Richard. 'Daddy got everything else, including custody of Mike and myself.'

'Everything went swimmingly for a few months,' Lou smiled sadly. 'Then, without any prior warning Mike just up and left. The only reason we knew he was ok was that he'd left a note saying he was going to live with the whore.'

'Dad was devastated,' Lou sniffed as James placed a hand on her shoulder. 'He and Mike were close. Or so we both thought. Three weeks later he had a massive heart attack and died alone in the middle of the front room.'

'They said it was stress caused by the divorce and Mike's sudden departure from the house that proved too much for his heart…' Lou's voice clogged up with emotion. 'I was Sixteen and effectively alone.'

'Then there was the funeral,' Lou glared at the desk as she spoke. 'She had the audacity to show up with Mike in tow. I saw Mike first and my blood just boiled. He never got a word out before I broke his nose for the first time; of course the slut had to appear at that moment.'

'What happened?' Elizabeth spoke up, the only person to speak up since Lou started the tale.

'I have no idea,' Lou looked over at the diplomat. 'I just remember her sneering face then waking up in my bed.'

'She said something to you and you lunged,' Mike answered. 'I don't know what it was she said but you were wild. It took Darren and Eric to carry you out the room.'

'What!' Lou screeched, eyes open as wide as they could in shock. 'My god.'

'You know,' Sheppard suddenly grinned like a maniac. 'I have an idea.'

'Oh dear.' Carson muttered quietly, though not quietly enough as Sheppard glared.

'Mike is scheduled to make the delivery to P3M-767 tomorrow…..' Sheppard looked across to Elizabeth, who cottoned on to his idea instantly.

'…..You want Flight Officer Sahara to accompany her brother on the supply mission.' Elizabeth finished.

'Yes,' Sheppard replied. 'It's a space gate, which means the journey from the gate to the village is an hour at best.'

'I'm for it,' Mike quietly announced. 'I'm fed up with this Lou, if it takes locking us up in a metal tube for a few hours then I'm all for it.'

'Lou,' James leant over and gently spoke. 'Do it. Give it one more try, what's the worst that can happen?'

'Oh don't say that!' Sheppard groaned. 'Every time someone says that out here it all goes FURBAR on us.'

'I'll do it.' Lou replied smirking at her C/O.

'Good.' James and Sheppard replied simultaneously. 


	3. Chapter 3

**First off, Happy New Year to anyone still reading this, hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year. sorry for not updating this sooner, have two more chapters Beta'd and ready to post, will try and get Chapter 4 up by the weekend.**

**Secondly, i didn't add a disclaimer to the first chapter of Churchill 3, so here it is.**

**I don't own anything from Stargate SG-1 or Stargate Atlantis, if i did, Things would be very different. **

Chapter 3

'I can't believe you've never seen sense and left the dark side.' Lou giggled as she lifted a large box into the rear of the Puddle Jumper.

'Supporting Chelsea football club is not the dark side,' Mike grumbled, despite the smile on his face. 'That the last one?'

'Yup.' Lou sighed as she stretched in the co-pilots chair.

'Then let's go,' Mike smiled. 'Chuck, Jumper 5 loaded and ready to go.'

SCENE

'No!' Dr Rodney McKay barked out. 'This goes there and that goes here.'

'I'm not bloody Chewbacca you know.' Richard snapped back.

'I'd expect better work form that walking carpet than I would from you,' McKay yelled. 'Look at these hyper drive readings. You must have been running them without the flux regulator operational.'

'If you two are quite finished,' Captain Laura Cadman stood in the doorway to the Churchill's engine control room. 'There's a situation you should know about in the control room.'

SCENE

'Everything seemed to be going smoothly,' Mike hissed as Dr Jennifer Keller wiped at the wound down his left arm. 'Even the talk was going great.'

'What happened?' Richard skidded as he entered the crowded conference room.

'I was just about to tell everyone McLaren.' Mike ground out.

Just get the fuck on with it.' James snarled at the younger man as he fidgeted in his seat.

'We landed and started delivering the supplies to the different huts. While carrying the last box Lou had a group of about five kids run under her feet, they couldn't have been more than five or six,' Mike's head snapped round to Dr Keller. 'Ow.'

'It's infected and if I don't use these antiseptic wipes then wash it out the results could be rather bad for you.' The young Dr answered before Mike could ask the question.

'Forget your bloody scrape,' James stood up angrily, his chair flying backwards as he did so. 'Where the fuck is my team mate?'

'I don't fucking know ok….Sir,' Mike snapped, and then realized who he'd snapped to. 'All I know is that two of the kids were knocked down when they ran into Lou. Next thing I know there are five men bigger than Ronon hauling Lou off.'

'When I tried to stop them one of the turned and attacked me,' Mike pointed at the scrape on his arm and his bloodied lip. 'I killed him, but by the time I had done so Lou was gone. I thought the best thing to do was to return here and get the bloody cavalry.'

'What's done is done,' Sheppard barked as James opened his mouth to reply. 'She still got the implanted tracker?'

'Yes,' James answered. 'But we don't have any beam-capable ships on hand for at least a few months.'

'Doesn't stop us from using the tracker to track her.' Ronon rumbled from his perch against the wall.

'Right,' Sheppard started as he formulated the plan in his head. 'We'll take jumpers 1, 3 and 5. Carson, you take jumper 8 and a full medical team with you. My team and I will take jumper one with as many marines as we can fit. Charleston, Lorne, you two do the same. Round up everyone and anyone on or off duty you can fit in a jumper…We leave in twenty.' He ordered before stalking out of the room


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

'God fucking damn it,' Lou swore as her captors dumped her back in the small cell she'd been put after being taken. Hissing in pain as her newly acquired injuries protested to both the cell and her movements.

This was the second time the natives, as she had assumed by there speech, had removed her from the cell and beaten her, mercifully this time she had blacked out early on.

Hearing the thudding of boots as the group returned Lou had enough time to wish for her team's speedy arrival before her captors were on her again.

SCENE

Once arriving on the planet the teams, minus Carson's medical unit who stayed in close orbit, landed in a large field close to the village before travelling in a single group right into the centre of the settlement.

''Ladies and gentlemen,' James bellowed. 'May I have your attention please.'

'What is the meaning of this?' A grey haired woman demanded as she approached the large group.

'Sa'lam,' Teyla Emmagen stepped forward. 'The lady that was taken this morning as a dear friend to these two men.' Teyla motioned to James and Richard.

'And my sister.' Mike added with a glare.

'We're here to find her and get her back safely.' James stony face stared back at the older council chief.

'We have found evidence that she was taken by the Ka'oon.' Sa'lam announced

'What are they?' James noted the somber looks on the villagers and the concerned looks on the Atlantis personnel.

'They are people we wouldn't want to leave Sahara with for much longer,' Sheppard grimaced. 'Are they still at the spot?'

'They are,' Sa'lam nodded. 'Though we believe they may have tunneled down into the catacombs below.'

'We encountered the Ka'oon on our first visit here,' Sheppard explained as Rodney quietly walked away from the group, closely followed by Ronon. 'They are a rival tribe in this area. Quite a violent tribe. We forced them back to a small clearing about fifteen miles away from here. We thought we had eradicated them a few months ago.'

'Sheppard!' McKay yelled across the square. 'I've got her signal.'

'Where?' James and Richard bolted over to McKay.

'Same general area as before,' Rodney read off the co-ordinates. 'But further underground this time. Maybe five hundred feet this time.'

'Sa'lam,' Sheppard turned to the village leader.

'I will gather the village in the hall immediately.' Sa'lam turned and walked away gesturing to a number of different people as she barked out orders.

'So,' James sighed. 'Now that she's sorted, can we get a fucking move on and get Sahara?'

SCENE

The heavy thudding gave Lou a short time to prepare before her captors dragged her out of her small cell again.

Shifting she took a quick inventory of her injuries so far. Her left ankle was broken; a result of spitting in the face of the head guy, most of the fingers on her left hand had been snapped one by one as she refused to answer the questions thrown at her, while just her middle finger was broken on her right.

Lou had lost count of how many broken ribs she had some time ago, though she was glad that it didn't feel like any had puncture her lungs yet. Her nose was definitely broken and the rest of her face was covered in multiple cuts, bruising and swelling.

Suddenly her cell door was thrown open and three large men burst in.

'Hmm,' Lou snarled. 'Off to see the wizard again?' That resulted in a backhand across the face from one of the men as she was dragged out the cell and towards the room she hoped to never see again.

Unlike every other time the men carried on down the passageway past the interrogation room.

'Where are we going?' Lou asked, but was met with silence. 'It's a surprise then.'

SCENE

Slamming his fist up in the air, Sheppard froze and the following soldiers did the same. 'We're being watched.' Sheppard quietly spoke as he brought up his P90 and scanned the woods around the group.

Without warning one of the Marines fell to the ground with an arrow stuck in his chest. Ronon's blaster and a cacophony of firearms being unloaded accompanied Sheppard's shout of. 'MOVE!'

Darting through the trees James spotted a small group of armed men. One of whom was wearing the black cap Lou wore that had a small image of a pair of wings stitched onto the lip.

Peeling off the group James zigzagged through the trees as he avoided the arrows and rock missiles the group sent his way.

'Johnson!' Sheppard yelled.

Bringing up his P90 James took down two of the eight targets before he reached the small mound they were stood on. With an animalistic snarl two more were brought down with the butt of his weapon. Seeing it snap as he drove the butt into one of the natives cheekbone, James threw the broken weapon on the ground and pulled out the marine battle knife he'd been issued with before leaving Atlantis.

Hearing Ronon's blaster go off nearby James focused on the native sporting Lou's cap. The native pulled out his own weapon and advanced on James, who deftly stepped out of the way and sent the native flying to the floor with a hefty thump to his back.

Quick as a flash James slammed a boot onto his spine, holding him on the ground. Leaning down James removed the cap off the natives head whispering. 'Not yours.' before slamming his knife into the natives neck.

Pulling the knife out James stood up and took in his surroundings. All eight natives lay dead on the ground, Ronon scanning each one carefully in case they were still alive.

'Johnson,' Sheppard stormed over. 'What in the hell were you thinking?'

'Lou's cap,' James simply replied as he slid the headwear between his TAC vest and his body, 'Lead on Sheppard.' James promptly walked off towards the trail they'd been walking

'Shit,' Sheppard stared after the retreating Brit. 'Is he going to be a liability?' Sheppard turned to Richard, who was also starting after his C0.

'No,' Richard answered quickly. 'Least not if they kill Lou that is. Then he'll want to kill each and every one of the damn bastards by himself and with his bare hands. If Lou doesn't make it, then he'll be a liability.'

'And you?' Sheppard quietly asked.

'Yeah,' Richard muttered. 'Me too.'


	5. Chapter 5

Hi...Just wanted to add that this chapter does contain some light torture stuff in it, so be warned if you don't like that.

Also thank you to those that have reviewed this fic so far and to anyone who does so in the future (Hint, Hint LOL)

CHAPTER 5

'This is it,' Ronon announced suddenly. 'The entrance to the cave system is just over this ridge.'

'Go do your tracking thing then,' Sheppard motioned to Ronon. 'Lorne, set up Hernandez in a sniping position on the ridge. Charleston, you and five Marines stay and keep watch.'

'Yes Sir,' was the whispered reply.

As the orders were carried out, Richard quietly pulled James to one side.

''You gonna be ok?' Richard asked his CO. 'Down there I mean. You're not going to pull another disappearing trick on us?'

'Don't push me McLaren,' James gruffly responded. 'If getting Lou back means I've got to do a runner or two then that's what's gonna happen. Got it?'

'Yes Sir,' Richard responded. 'Just let me know when you want to do a runner and I'm with you.'

'What's with the secret meeting?' Ronon rumbled as he appeared next to the two men.

'Chewie,' Sheppard smirked. 'Stop frightening the Brits.'

A smirking Ronon gave his recon report. 'Two over there, three over there and five over there with another two guarding the main entrance.' Ronon pointed in different directions as he spoke.

'Can we get in without alerting the other guards?' Sheppard frowned

'We can now,' Ronon smirked. 'Took out the roving guards on my way round.'

'Lorne, Hernandez,' Sheppard turned to the two snipers. 'Tap the two entrance guards.'

'On it,' Lorne replied before two silenced shots were heard. 'Got them both.'

'Good,' Sheppard replied. 'Charleston, radio if anything happens up top.'

'Yes Sir.'

'Then move out people.' Sheppard gave the command.

SCENE

'Where are you taking me?' Lou demanded for the fiftieth time.

Lou felt as though she had been dragged for miles through the twisting tunnels before she was brought into a larger cavern.

With fear creeping up her spine Lou took in the sight before her. In the centre of the cavern sat a large stone obelisk with a set of chained cuffs hanging off one side.

'Shit.' Lou began cursing as she fought against her captives grip.

Despite her struggling Lou was carried over to the obelisk and her arms forced into the metal cuffs.

The captor that had interrogated her stepped forward and repeated the question he'd screamed at her each and every time he'd had her in that room. When Lou failed to answer he motioned to the two men that had carried her in. Each man grabbed a chain and pulled hard.

Screaming out in pain Lou had both her arms forcefully pulled above her head until she was left dangling. Kicking out Lou managed to get a lucky shot on the head captors face and he crashed to the ground unconscious.

Lou barely had time to celebrate before one of the three men that had dragged her to the cavern threw his large fist firmly into the left side of her ribs.

Writhing in pain Lou fought to breath as her legs were shackled.

As the other man lifted his unconscious boss from the floor the captor that had just punched Lou spat in her face.

'Yeah yeah,' Lou groaned. 'Bite me.'

SCENE

Despite being numbered in the high teens the rescue force managed to get some way into the cave network before coming across a guard.

Before the unfortunate gentlemen could even register the presence of the rescue force he was struck down by a swipe of Ronon's katana.

A sudden scream echoed through the cave network.

'That's Lou!' James made to bolt down the tunnel.

'Johnson,' Teyla hissed as both Ronon and Sheppard opened their mouths to stop the wayward Brit. 'You must stay with the group. Last time we were here Rodney took it upon himself to wander off.'

'It took us nine hours before we found him again.' Ronon glared at the scientist who spluttered an explanation.

'That was my crewmate in trouble,' James fumed. 'I'm not just going to wander aimlessly around while they're doing god knows what to her.'

'Would you rather we have to waste men trying to locate you AND Sqn Ldr Sahara?' Teyla calmly asked.

'James,' Richard gently grasped James' forearm. 'As your friend, stop. Use this anger, don't let it use you.'

'Yes Dr Freud,' Sheppard smirked. 'Use the force and all that shit. Can we get going?'

CHAPTER 13

Her vision blurring as she fought to stay lucid Lou struggled in the shackles that held her to the obelisk. Both shoulders screamed in pain as she was hung by her wrists.

The sound of a key being turned in a lock snapped Lou back to full alertness. Blinking Lou was able to make out the face of her lead captor appear before her. A purple bruise was forming around his nose.

'Oooh,' Lou slurred. 'That must hurt, I'd pu…'

Lou was interrupted by her captor backhanding her across the face. Sneering smugly her captor started talking in his native language at Lou. Spinning on one heel, her captor suddenly launched into what could only be described as an 'evil villain's monologue' yet, as he spoke only in his native language, Lou had no idea what he was saying.

A smirk adorning her face, Lou watched as the man stopped and clicked his fingers in the air. Her smirk vanished as an extremely large man entered the room carrying a ceremonial sword.

'Oh shit.' Lou's eyes grew wide as she realized what was about to happen.

Seeing the look of fear on Lou's face her captor smirked and chuckled something in his native language at Lou as he took hold of the ceremonial sword. With a flick of his wrist Lou's captor ordered the two goons to untie her shackles and carry her to a small stone block a few feet away.

The moment Lou felt the ties around her arms and feet come loose, she attacked. Sending her shoeless foot into the nearest Goon's groin Lou cried out as the other goon threw her to the floor.

Before Lou could recover for another attack the two goons grabbed the officer and thrust her painfully onto the stone block.

Realizing her head hadn't been tied down; Lou quickly glanced around, gasping out loud with what she saw.

Standing behind the Obelisk she had been shackled to was a large crowd of Natives.

'Oh fuck.' Lou muttered as the previously silent crowd started a slow chant.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Standing at a junction point for five tunnels the rescue team was at a loss as to which tunnel to take.

'Listen,' McKay snapped. 'The rocks down here are messing up the signal. Either that or the stone wielding savages have managed to recreate the tracker device in the woman.'

With a low growl James advanced on the smaller scientist. 'THE WOMAN HAS A NAME! USE IT!'

'Stop!,' Teyla barked. 'Fighting like this will not bring us to Flight Officer Sahara's location.'

'Listen to the lady,' Sheppard frowned. 'McKay, don't antagonize the Brits.'

Before Sheppard could continue the sound of chanting started echoing down one of the tunnels.

'That way.' Ronon growled a beat before both James and Richard shot into the tunnel.

'Hey!' Sheppard cried out before sighing. 'Ronon, stay with those two.'

Silently the large Satedan disappeared into the blackness after the two British officers.

SCENE

Jerking her head around in an attempt to delay her upcoming beheading, Lou registered a sudden ceasing in the growing chants. Looking up Lou almost burst into tears.

Standing in an entrance to the cavern were her crewmates, both looking on with a mixture of shock and fury on their faces.

With an animalistic snarl James yanked his combat knife out its sleeve and fired it across the cavern. With a sickening thud Lou heard the weapon impact with her sword wielding captors chest. Turning her head Lou watched as a look of shock crossed her captors face before he dropped to the floor.

Turning her head back Lou was in time to watch as one of the goons holding her down take a number of P90 rounds to his back killing him instantly.

'Oh shit.' Lou muttered as she watched the dead goon fall forward, and impact with her battered body. Crying out in pain Lou quickly blacked out.

'Fuck!' James snapped and he shot across the silent cavern towards where his trapped crewmate lay. 'Did ya have to shoot him in such a way that he fell on her?'

'How else could I have shot him?' Richard snapped as he watched the silent crowd.

Rolling the dead goon off Lou, James cursed as he took in her injuries. 'Get the others, we need a medic here ASAP!'

'They're coming,' Ronon grumbled.

Looking up James jumped slightly. 'Fuck mate, let someone know when you're coming up behind them ok?'

'More fun this way.' Ronon smirked as the remainder of the rescue team arrived.

'Ramirez, check on Sahara,' Sheppard barked. 'Rest of you, make sure these guys don't block our exit.'

Standing back James let the young medic look at Lou. 'How bad is it?'

'She's alive,' Ramirez replied a few moments later. 'But we need to get her to Carson ASAP. Terrence!' Ramirez shouted at a nearby marine. 'We need the backboard now!'

Pulling out of the cordon, the Marine Ramirez produced a small metal frame out of a pack and unfolded it.

'I really don't want to move Sahara without her strapped to this. I need you to take these straps,' Ramirez handed James a pair of straps. 'And tightly tie her legs to the frame, once I position it on her back.'

Nodding James watched as the Medic laid out the metal frame on Lou's back before strapping her head into a head brace built into one end.

'Now please Sir,' Ramirez motioned to Lou's legs and spoke as James tied Lou's legs to the frame. 'Once her legs are secure I can get Mr. Dex and yourself to assist turning Sahara over.'

'I'm done.' James announced a moment later.

As Ronon assisted James and Ramirez to turn Lou onto her back, the silent crowd started to get restless.

'Ramirez,' Sheppard barked. 'I don't think we have much longer!'

'Two minutes!' Ramirez replied as she strapped Lou's torso to the back board before turning back to the two men beside her. 'I'm going to need you two to carry her. I don't need to remind you that any jolt could injure the Flight Officer further, do I?'

'Fuck no.' James replied instantly.

'Right,' Ramirez nodded as she inserted an IV into Lou's right arm. 'If you take the bottom end of the board, Mr. Dex will carry the top end.'

A sudden cry rang out in the cavern as one of the marines fell to the floor with a rough axe in his chest.

'Shit!' Sheppard cursed. 'Kerringham, get Tudor back to the Jumpers. Everyone else, I think it's time to go.'

'Couldn't agree more.' McKay snarked as he slowly backed up towards the exit.

'McLaren,' Sheppard glared at McKay. 'Take McKay and Teyla and take the lead. The wounded go next and the rest of us bring up the rear.'

A smattering of murmuring confirmations replied to Sheppard's orders.

'Right then,' Sheppard tightened his grip on his P90. 'Go!' 


	7. Chapter 7

Writers Note - well, another very short chapter. From Churchill 3 onwards i will attempt to try and have an average chapter length

Hope those of you that are still reading this are enjoying it. (BTW, any & all reviews (Good or bad) are welcome... so let me know what you think of this story :) )

CHAPTER 7

'Damn,' Mike muttered. 'What's taking so long?'

'Charleston, Lorne,' Sheppard's voice burst out their radios. 'Be ready. We've recovered Sahara and are on route to the surface, but we have a crowd of severely pissed off natives on our tail. Once we are out of the line of fire, have Dunn fire the RPG into the mouth of the cave.'

'Will do Sir,' Mike replied. 'Is she…..?'

'Lou's alive,' Richard interrupted.' But not for long if we don't lose our tail ASAP.'

'Dunn's set up and waiting Colonel,' Lorne announced. 'ETA to the surface?'

'Now,' Sheppard replied as Teyla burst out of the cave entrance with both Richard and McKay hot on her heels. Peeling off to the right to avoid the RPG fire, the trio crossed the small clearing to where Mike and Lorne waited.

Mere moments after, the two soldiers and one scientist emerged from the cave entrance; the massive bulk belonging to Ronon spat out the cave as he headed the wounded party.

Swiftly crossing the clearing Ronon and James gently placed Lou on the ground while Ramirez confirmed that Tudor was K.I.A.

'Doc?' Mike stared over at the sight of his sister strapped to the backboard. A beat later Dunn fired off a single RPG rocket into the cave entrance, sending boulders raining down and blocking the opening.

'Strapping her up like this is just a precaution,' Ramirez replied as she reached for her radio. 'Dr Beckett?'

The sound of a Jumper de-cloaking replied to Ramirez's hailing. Looking up the group watched s Carson lowered the medical Jumper to the ground. The moment the rear hatch opened Dr Keller and her team poured out.

'Tudor and Lopez are KIA,' Ramirez reported. 'Sahara is alive but we need to get here back to Atlantis ASAP or that will change.'

'What are her injuries?' Keller spoke as she dropped to her knees beside Lou's prostrate body.

'She's broken her ankle, most of her fingers and a fair number of her ribs. She also has a broken nose and her left cheekbone is fractured. She's also showing signs of a concussion,' Ramirez stated. 'She's had a rather large native land straight on her back and I'm worried about both her ribs having punctured either of her lungs and her spine.'

'Colonel!' Hernandez suddenly spoke up from his sniper position. ' We've got a shit load of natives headed this way.'

'Keller,' Sheppard interrupted the medical jargon flowing between the small medical team. 'You need to go. Now!'

Jumping to her feet Keller began barking out orders to her Medical team. And within moments Carson was lifting off from the ground with Lou securely strapped to one of the bench seats.

Back on the ground three pairs of eyes followed the small craft as it left the planet's surface.

'She'll be ok, right?' Mike didn't tear his gaze off the Jumper.

'Keller's the best we have,' McKay suddenly spoke up, his first words since leaving the cave network. 'After Carson that is.'

'Lou is a stubborn girl,' James muttered, tearing his gaze from the sight above to the ground below. 'We'll open the hatches on the jumpers when we get back to find her waiting for us.'

'Yeah,' Richard chuckled. 'And we'll get some lecture from her for being late.'

Any retort Mike had on his lips died as a loud cry erupted from beyond the tree line and a torrential wave of armed natives burst into the clearing.

'MOVE!'


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to anyone reading this (reviews are welcome btw LOL), probably should repeat the disclaimer...

Anything in this story that was in Stargate SG-1. Atlantis or Universe is not mine. Charleston, Johnson, Sahara & McLaren are mine though

CHAPTER 8

Arms and legs pumping faster than they had in a long time; James tore through the forest with the rest of the Lantian rescue team hot on his heels. Sliding under a fallen tree, James's stride barely faltered.

Only Ronon was still firing into the angry crowd of natives, the rest of the rescue team either 'Winchester' or deciding that just running was a better idea than trying to shoot at the flood of people behind them.

'Rodney!' Sheppard turned and looked back at the flagging Scientist. 'Get a damn move on or I'll have the Chef make lemon chicken for a month!'

Cursing loudly McKay found a pocket of speed and caught up with Sheppard.

Bursting out of the forest into the field containing the Jumpers, James crossed the distance to the ships and skidded to a halt beside the nearest ship. Reaching in, he grabbed one of the P90s that sat in a box just inside the ship.

Snapping a full clip into the weapon, James turned towards the tree line and waited. Turning to the tree line, he watched as Richard and Ronon arrived at the Jumper; both men turning their own weapons at the same spot past their retreating colleagues.

With each arriving Officer training their own weapons on the tree line, the explosion of noise that erupted once the natives breached the forest was deafening.

One by one the men entered the Jumpers and the three craft took off.

'Lorne,' Sheppard activated the Jumper comms as he slid into the pilots seat. 'I want you to stay above the village for the next four hours in case they decide to attack. Charleston and I are RTB.'

'Yes Sir.' Lorne replied.

SCENE

'Incoming Wormhole!' Chuck cried out as the Atlantis Stargate activated. 'I'm receiving Col Sheppard's IDC.'

'Lower the shield.' Dr. Weir called out as she cross the short walkway between her office and the control room. Pausing, she watched as Sheppard's Jumper emerged from the Stargate and started the automatic rise into the Jumper Bay. Just as the first Jumper crossed up into the Jumper Jay, Mike's own craft emerged out the Stargate and also began it's automatic path to it's landing pad.

With both the British occupants of the Jumper nervously waiting at the rear hatch Sheppard quickly landed the Jumper and opened the hatch, both men exiting before the ramp was fully extended.

Footsteps echoing loudly the two men cannoned across the Lantian hanger and down the connecting hallways towards where the Infirmary was located.

Finding a smirking Sheppard already waiting for them Richard blurted. 'How the fuck did you beat us?'

'One word, transporters.' Sheppard gave a quick smirk.

'Any news?' James puffed slightly as Richard cursed.

'Not yet.' Sheppard admitted in a more serious tone as Mike thundered into the room.

'Anything?' Mike wheezed.

'Nothing yet laddie,' Carson announced as he left his office. 'Dr. Keller will be in there for another hour yet. The lassie's left lung collapsed as we arrived at the Stargate, but Dr. Keller inserted a chest drain as the Jumper arrived in the Bay. That was the only problem we had on the flight back.'

'But she's going to be ok?' James asked, only the look in his eyes betraying the fear he felt.

'There was no sign of any concussion or head injuries,' Carson revealed. 'Bar the facial injuries, Dr. Keller will be doing an MRI to double check, but my initial prognosis is a long recovery to full physical fitness.'

'Thank fuck,' James sighed as he sagged onto a nearby empty bed. This was where Jennifer Keller found him three hours later as she emerged from the Operating Room.

'She's alive,' Dr. Keller stated straight off at the apprehensive looks she was receiving. 'We've re-inflated her lung and set her ankle and nose. We've also set her broken fingers, though the middle finger on her right hand required a metal pin to be inserted. Due to the number of broken ribs, Carson and I have decided to place Louise in a medically induce coma for a few days to let her ribs heal.'

'You've put her in a coma because of her ribs?' Mike frowned from his perch on the end of the bed James and Richard sat on.

'Yes,' Keller replied. 'It's to stop your sister from re-damaging them if she coughs or moves. This is standard procedure.'

'How long will she need the pin in her finger?' Richard asked.

'No more than five weeks,' Keller replied. 'Now if you would excuse me I need to go and clean up. If you've got any questions Carson will be able to help, your sister and colleague should appear in the far private area in about five minutes.'

'Hey Doc,' James reached out and grabbed Keller's elbow. 'Thank you.'

'Just doing my job.' Keller smiled. 'But you're welcome.'

'Mike,' Sheppard's voice piped up in Mike's earpiece. 'I need to see you in the control room.'

'On way,' Mike tapped his earpiece. 'Damn, Sheppard wants me. Someone let me know if anything changes.'

'Will do.' James replied before Mike turned and left the infirmary, glancing over his shoulder at the OR doors.

'James,' Richard piped up a minute later. 'McKay radioed me twenty minutes ago saying he had something on why the hyperdrive failed. I said he had to wait till I heard on Lou.'

'Go mate,' James answered the unspoken question. 'I'll let you know if anything happens.'

Shuffling on his perch, James watched Richard leave the Infirmary. A few minutes, James watched as the Medical Staff, under Dr. Beckett's watch, wheeled Lou out of the infirmary and into one of three private areas and began plugging her up to a series of monitoring devices.

Once the hustle and bustle had ceased, James quietly placed a nearby chair at Lou's bedside and started his vigil.


	9. Chapter 9

For anyone still following this story, thank you for having the patience. This chapter would have gone up a long while back, had it not been for some major Computer problems. Now with an entirely new system, uploads should be a bit quicker.

This chapter includes some translated text. For this i used Google Translate. If anything is wrong with it, let me know and i'll fix it.

As i don't own anything to do with Stargate, i can only lay claim to the characters that aren't part of Stargate Canon. The rest are owned by the people they are owned by.

Chapter 9

It was late when Richard returned.

'How hasn't anyone killed Dr McKay yet?' Richard grumbled quietly as he plopped into one of the nearby seats. 'All that man does is bitch and whine about how inept the scientists here are and how he is the only one that can fix their fuck ups.'

'Hey,' James muttered. 'Give the man his due. He's a scientist, not a soldier and yet he volunteered to come on the rescue mission. He may be the biggest arse in the world,' James chuckled. 'I mean the Galaxy, but he didn't have to come with us today.'

Richard shrugged his shoulder unwilling to acknowledge any credit at that moment.

James ran his hand over his face. 'God,' he sighed heavily and paused for a moment. 'I can't do this anymore mate.' He spoke after a few minutes.

'Do what?' Richard replied cautiously.

'Back on Earth,' James snorted. 'God I never thought I'd say that, but back on Earth it was so simple. Out here it could all go in an instant and I can't lose her.'

'Then be with her.' Richard replied calmly.

'But I can't give up this,' James threw his arm out and waved his hand around the room. 'What we are doing out here, I can't walk away from this. It's too important for Earth, fuck it's too important for human life in general.'

'Did I say you had to quit?' Richard smirked. 'Turns out the committee overseeing all the different Stargate space programs around the globe have removed any relationship regulations for personnel in the know.'

'What?' James stared at Richard. 'Where the fuck did you hear that?'

'McKay.'

'Turns out the two Yanks we met are to blame for this,' Richard continued. 'Apparently O'Neill ran the first missions threw the Stargate back in the 90s. Back then Colonel Carter was just a lowly Captain in O'Neill's personal team. A couple of years ago he was offered a promotion and he turned round to the US president and told him he'd only take the position if the USAF Frat Regs were waived for them. Hayes waived it for any US personnel involved in the Gate Program. When the IOA was created it was decided to remove any Frat Regs any of the members had. Some countries, like ours, only agreed if they could vet each couple before permission is given.'  
'So if we got permission from whomever it is that we need permission from then,' James motioned to Lou and himself. 'We could… God.'

'I know,' Richard replied. 'Just take a while and think about this fully. Sheppard tells me there's a balcony on the east pier that gets spectacular sunrises.' As Richard spoke he handed James a small PDA with directions to the balcony.

'I'm going to take a walk,' James stood up. 'Maybe check out this balcony.'

Richard watched silently as his friend and boss walked out the infirmary, his head whirling with the information Richard had just given him.

SCENE

Ambling up the staircase James whistled in admiration, even though dawn was only just starting to peek over the horizon spectacular didn't even come close. Looking over the seat pier, James watched as lights flickered on in one of the small scrapers that dotted the pier. Beyond those he could see his ship resting quietly among the numerous F-302s that made up the 1st Atlantis Squadron.  
Looking around him James noticed a fold up chair set up in the corner with a small box on the floor next to a lamp. Turning on the lamp James sat down and opened the box. Inside there was a small hip flask and a scrap of paper. Picking up the scrap James read what was on the reverse...

_JJ,__  
__I __use __this __spot __to __be __John, __not __Lt __Col __Sheppard. __It __allows __me __to __get __past __some __of __the...__stuff __that __has __happened __to __me __while __I__'__ve __been __here. _

_Here __is __where __I __got __the __resolve __to __do __one __of __the __scariest __things __I __have __ever __allowed __myself __to __do._

_Here __is __where __I __decided __to __let __someone __in._

_The other benefit to this spot, apart from the view, is that it's a blind spot in the sensors so no one will know that you are here. _

_The flask that you've no doubt seen contains the finest Whisky that Zalenka can brew from his little Still that he doesn't have. I have to warn you that it's extremely powerful. _

_If it's any comfort, Carson and Keller are the best doctors Earth has anywhere, save for the late Dr Janet Frasier, Major Sahara is in the best care possible and they will do everything and anything they can for her._

_John._

Dropping the bit of paper back in the box James chuckled as he removed the flask. 'Admit it John, you're an old softie at heart.' Raising the flask up to the sunrise James softly spoke. 'Here's to letting people in.' Unscrewing the cap James took a swig of the flask and, with a cry of 'Holy F**k!', fell off his chair.

SCENE

'Johnson,' Keller glared, 'Either go back to your own quarters and get some sleep or I'll have Ronon come and carry you there. You've only been away from this room for about 15 minutes since Lou came out of the OR.'

'Jennifer,' James sighed, 'I'm not going to be able to get any proper rest until she wakes up.'

'James, laddie,' Carson called over from the other end of the Infirmary, 'Go now or I'll sedate you and have Ronon stand guard outside your quarters for the next 24 hours.'

At the threat Ronon, Who Carson was treating for a nasty cut on his arm, smirked.

Defeated James sighed and walked out the Infirmary. Entering his quarters James removed his radio earpiece and flopped onto the small bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

SCENE

Cracking one eye open James rolled over. Spotting his portable alarm clock James was surprised to see that he's slept for 12 hours straight.

Unable to find the energy to lift him from the bed, James lay back and let his mind wander to 36 hours before, when he'd walked into Dr Weir's office and added a small Memo to Air Cdre Craig Hamilton, the head of the RSF, requesting permission to pursue a relationship with Lou into that days Data Burst to Earth.

James' quiet musings was shattered by a rapid hammering on his door and Richard bellowing through.

'James, Get ya lazy bum out of that bed. Carson's going to bring Lou out the coma in about ten minutes.

In a personal record James showered, dressed and cooked up a mug of coffee in little over two and a half minutes before opening the door to his quarters.

SCENE

Glancing up as the sounds of Combat boots striking the hard floor grew louder, Carson smirked as Mike skidded to a halt beside James and Richard.

'Late again eh mike?'

'Screw you.'

'No thanks,' James chuckled, 'You're not my type.'

'OK, Listen up,' Carson stopped the good natured bickering before it went too far, 'While Jennifer will be bringing Louise out of her coma, neither of us expect the lass to wake up straight away. The effort it's taking her body to heal will probably keep her out of it until mid-afternoon tomorrow at the earliest. We will also take the next hour to monitor Louise' breathing to see if she can cope with breathing on her own.'

'Shall we start Carson?' Keller looked across Lou's bed at her colleague.

'We shall.'

The three British pilots watched in silence as Jennifer and Carson ran a series of checks on both Lou and the equipment around her before the younger doctor inserted a small syringe into Lou's IV line and injected a liquid.

Standing back Carson studied a nearby monitor closely. His forehead crinkled in a frown as the rhythmic beeping shifted slightly.

'Carson?' All three men spoke in unison.

'She's out the coma,' Carson smiled, 'breathing looks good and her BP is looking fine for someone with her injuries. The signs here,' Carson pointed at the monitor, 'Indicate someone in a deep state of REM.'

Suddenly Richard flinched as his earpiece burst into life, 'Ale jdete rychlý Richard,' Dr Radek Zelenka's excited voice came through. 'JÁ mít lít clen urcitý domlouvat do clen urcitý nedostatek.'

'Radek,' Richard rolled his eyes, 'How many times do I need to tell you I don't speak Czech.'

'My apologies Richard,' Radek responded in English, 'I have found problem with Hyper drive and that I need to see both yourself and Flt Lt Johnson right away.'

'James is staying with Louise,' Richard turned and started out the Infirmary, 'But I'm on my way to you now.'

On his way out to the ship, Richard had bumped into McKay, who insisted he had to double check the Czech scientist's work.

Walking through the -306's cargo bay, faint Czech cursing could be heard coming from inside the engine room.

'Ach blížit se!'(Oh come on) Dr Radek Zalenka cursed as he kicked the base of the control panel he was working on. 'Jaký clen urcitý do prdele?' (what the fuck?)

`Problem Radek?' Rodney smirked as he slid into one of the two roller chairs dotted around the room. 'You said you'd found the problem?'

'Ano,(Yes)' Radek sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. 'Someone forgot to connect secondary coolant line to the emergency fire system fully, short time with vibrace (Vibration) and it fell out.' Radeks normally good grasp of English began to fail him when tired. 'This is reason for hyper drive shutdown.'

'Can the pipe be reconnected fully?' Richard quizzed as he leant against the doorframe. 'Coz I really don't wanna be stranded again.'

'Yes, the pipe should be connect securely easily Richard,' Radek yawned. 'It should only take moment to tighten valve, five minutes tops.'

'Radek what in the hell did you do to the weapons system?' McKay squinted at one of the computer screens and began to type into the keypad in front of the screen. 'What the hell? Radek these calculations only lead to the plasma cannons overheating and exploding!'

'Rodney, NO!' Radek bolted across the cabin and shoved the chair containing Rodney away from the controls. Looking up from the screen Radek's normally calm face radiated more anger than he had shown before. 'McKay Tebe sobecký , chlad dodat odvahy syn of jeden putování devka,(You selfish, cold hearted son of a wandering whore).' Slamming his fist on the control panel Radek spat out a string of curses. 'I spent seven hours fixing weapons overheating situation. Five more rounds and BOOM! Goodbye ship. Those kalkulace (Calculations) halved initial response. I realized the coolant loose before I could revise figures.'

'Dr,' Richard stepped between the irate Czech and Rodney, 'What ever work you seem to have lost can be fixed after a long rest. But losing your cool will only cause problems in the long term. Personally I'd leave it for tonight, we aren't going to be going anywhere for a while, so taking the night off won't be a problem.

'As for you McKay,' Richard glared at the Canadian scientist, 'I don't want to see you working on anything to do with this ship while we are here. If I have to I'll have a marine spray a lemon spray all in here to keep you out.'

Turning back to Radek, Richard marveled at how the man was still conscious, 'Radek, how about I walk with you back to your quarters? I'd feel happier knowing that you made it back ok.'

'Dekuju, (Thank You)' Radek mumbled as he stood up.

SCENE

As usual for Atlantis and her inhabitants there are a number of minor misshapes and accidents that happen on a daily basis, not to mention any of the Off World Teams returning with injuries. Today was no different and in all the commotion nobody noticed one of the long-term patients fluttering their eyelids for a moment before slipping back into the black...


	10. Chapter 10

For anyone with the patience to still be following this, Thank you. I've not yet spoken to my wonderful beta, but i'm hoping to get this part of the Churchill saga fully Beta'd and uploaded and then get the entire saga up to date, though i don't want to overload her.

As with all the good shows (and the bad ones) there's a coupling of main characters eventually, and this chapter deals with that, so it's more 'fluffy' than the norm.

As with all the other chapters, if you spot something that was in Stargate and it's following shows, then it's not owned by me and belongs to those that actually do own the Stargate rights.

'Is it safe to remove the breathing tube if she's not awake?' James frowned as Carson stood on the other side of Lou's bed.

'The lass has been breathing on her own for a while now,' Carson replied, 'Both Jennifer and I feel it would be more comfortable for Louise to have the breathing tube removed before she wakes up.'

With a slight wince James watched as Carson removed the tube from his friend's mouth before placing a small oxygen tube round Lou's ears, resting the twin nozzles in her nose.

'I'm not going to get you out of here tonight am laddie?' Carson smirked as James shook his head, 'Well then ye can borrow the black chair from my office.

SCENE

The first sensation Lou felt as the fog lifted from her head was a muted pain throughout her body. For a brief few seconds, Lou's mind thought she was still in the cavern with her sword wielding captor.

Slowly opening her eyes Lou spotted James fast asleep in a chair next to her bed. Looking at her C/O, Lou could see clearly the dark clouds under his eyes and the worried look he held even in sleep.

With a low snort James shifted in his seat, his head flopping backwards, leaving his mouth slightly open.

'Oh dear.' Lou mentally sighed as James began snoring.

Opening her mouth to call for a nurse, or anyone, Lou felt herself give out a pathetic, and silent, gasp. After a few attempts at speaking Lou gave up and waited for someone to notice that she was awake.

SCENE

It was late, make that very early, when Carson made his final rounds of the current inhabitants of the Infirmary.

Normally the Infirmary would resound to heavy breathing and the beeps from various pieces of machinery, but tonight it resonated to a loud deep rumble like a passing freight train.

Nearing Lou's bed Carson realized that the noise was coming from James as he sat in one of the Infirmary's plastic chairs.

'God man that cannae be healthy for ye.' Carson smirked at the awkward position James was in.

'Tell me about it Doc.'

Had it not have been for James shifting slightly in his chair Carson would have missed Lou's whispered reply.

Carson's head whipped around so fast that he had to blink away dizziness before a grin rivaling the Cheshire cat appeared on his face.

'How long have you been with us lass?' Carson quietly spoke as he neared Lou's bedside.

'I've been in and out for a while,' Lou croaked, 'mainly just enough to hear voices, but I've been awake properly for about 738 snores. Have you got any ice chips?'

'That I have lassie,' Carson slipped out the partitioned space for barely a moment before he was back, carrying a small cup of ice chips. Plucking one out the cup, Carson bent down and placed it on Lou's lips.

'Mmmm,' Lou sighed, 'I needed that. Felt like my mouth was going to start cracking up.'

'You're lucky to be alive lass,' Carson listed Lou's injures.

'God,' Lou gasped, her eyes tearing slightly, 'they were about to kill me. Another five, maybe ten more seconds and that fucker would have beheaded me.'

'But he didn't,' Carson gently rested a hand on Lou's shoulder, calming the officer down before the alarms monitoring her started up, 'You're safe and, given a couple of months, you will be fine.'

As James let out an overly loud snore Lou giggled gently. 'You know, if you press down on the fifth rib down on his left side, he stops?'

'He does?'

'Yeah,' Lou nodded slightly, 'He busted up his ribs a few years ago playing rugby. Started snoring that night apparently.'

Moving round to where James sat Carson pressed where Lou pointed and James promptly stopped snoring.

'Well I'll be,' Carson smiled, 'Remind me to have a look at him before you all leave us. That's not normal.'

'I know,' Lou frowned, 'can I sit up at all?'

'I can raise your head a bit,' Carson nodded as he made his way back to where he had stood a moment before, 'But it won't be much, I don't want to tax your ribs too much.'

'Ok.'

It took five minutes to raise the head of Lou's bed up to a height that allowed her to look around the Infirmary without putting too much strain on her battered body.

Just as Carson finished moving the bed, Dr Biro, the City's mortician, burst into the closed off space.

'Carson,' Biro looked shocked to find the older doctor still in the Infirmary, 'I thought you'd left ages ago?'

'He was just seeing to me,' Lou answered.

'Oh,' Biro replied, her mind taking a moment to register just who it was in the bed, 'OH! It's so good to see you awake!'

The volume of Biro's voice caused a fair few of the slumbering inhabitants of the Infirmary to wake. Most falling asleep again within seconds.

James was not one of those. At Biro's voice James jerked and fell out of the chair.

'What they hell is going on here?' James quietly shouted as he clambered to his feet.

'Me.'

Instantly James' anger dissolved and he turned to Lou looking like the proverbial deer in the headlights. A short series of noises escaped his mouth, but James stayed rooted to the spot.

'Yes,' Lou looked over at James, 'I'm awake, have been for a short while.'

James, his mind whirling with thoughts and emotion, just stayed rooted to the spot staring at Lou lying in the infirmary bed.

'Son?' Carson moved to James' side, 'You all right?'

Nodding, James continued to stare at Lou. 'Lou,' James' voice was thick with emotion, 'I… I need to do something,' James slowly moved to the edge of Lou's bed, his eyes locked on hers the entire time, 'I just need you not to freak out or anything.'

'Just shut up and kiss me,' Lou smirked.

With a quick chuckle James leant down and gently kissed Lou, feeling the young woman react back.

Careful not to cause Lou pain through her facial injuries James deepened the kiss, mentally whooping as he felt Lou do the same.

Just as he felt Lou's tongue touch his lips a loud sob rang out. Both officers jerked apart, Lou wincing as she did. Looking towards the source of the noise James almost burst out laughing at the sight of Dr. Carson Beckett blubbing away.

'Och,' Carson hiccupped, 'Ignore silly old me. I can't get through a bloody wedding without gushing.'

'Um,' Lou's voice was slightly husky as she looked around the Infirmary, 'Where's Dr. Biro?'

'Oh no,' Carson sighed, 'You might want to inform Richard and Mike before they find out from the whirlwind.'

'Crap.' Lou cursed as James tapped his earpiece.

'Mike? Richard?' James quietly spoke, 'You guys need to come down to the Infirmary.'

Cutting off the radio with a smirk James chuckled.

'You Evil man,' Lou grinned before closing her eyes and letting her tongue fall out her mouth as she pulled a comical Dead face.

A full minute after James' misleading radio call, the sound of combat boots rapidly impacting on the Lantian floors reached the Infirmary-

It was Mike who arrived first, with Richard barely a foot behind him.

'James?' Mike looked terrified, 'She isn't….?'

'No I'm not.' Lou piped up from her bed, smiling at the look of shock on her crew mates and brothers faces.

'You fucker,' Richard glared daggers at James, 'You could have said that she was awake, not leave it inferred that she's dead.'

As the confrontation between the two pilots continued Mike slowly approached his sister's bed.

'I'm Sorry,' Lou's eyes snapped from the confrontation at the foot of her bed and to her brother's face as he continued, 'I'm sorry Lou. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from taking you.'

In the time Mike had spent in her life, Lou had only heard him utter an apology sincerely less times than she had fingers on her hands.

'You have nothing to be sorry about,' Lou gently, but firmly, replied, 'We were outnumbered. You did exactly what you should have done. You came back here and got reinforcements and then you came for me.'

'But….' Mike started.

'Oi,' Lou snapped, 'Stop this. It's over, I'm here and I'm safe…and I'm in almost one piece. No 'buts', 'maybes' or 'what if's'. What's done is done, let's just move on. Ok?'

'Okay.' Mike muttered before leaning and kissing his sisters forehead.

'Hey Lou,' Richard sighed as he and Mike switched places, 'How ya doing?'

'Sore,' Lou admitted, 'But happy to still be here. If you guys had been a minute or so later….'

'But we weren't.' James took Lou's healthier hand in his.

I know.' Lou muttered as she felt her energy dropping. Before she could stop it a face splitting yawn broke through.

'That's it people,' Carson immediately went into Doctor-mode, 'Out. Let the lass sleep.'

'Guys,' Lou mumbled as her eyes closed involuntarily, 'I'll be fi...' Lou was asleep before she finished her sentence.

SCENE

Sat on the small balcony sprouting from his quarters James watched as a flight of F-302s took off from the West pier. Knowing it was nothing more than a routine patrol around the planet James stayed relaxed in his chair.

At the sound of a door chime, James calmly walked through his quarters and waved his arm over the sensor.

'Sir,' Mike stood on the other side, 'I'm wondering if I can have a word?'

'Certainly,' James motioned for Mike to enter the room, 'Coffee?'

'Black, no sugar.'

Both men were silent as James poured out a mug of thick black coffee.

'What was it you wanted to talk about?' James asked as he handed the mug over.

'Can I talk freely?' James noticed a hint of nervousness in Mike's expression as he asked the question.

'Of course.' James nodded.

'I ran into Dr Biro this morning in the commissary.'

'Ah,' James chuckled, 'I guess she told you what happened last night?'

'We couldn't stop her,' Col Sheppard ended up radioing Carson to get the woman to leave us alone.'

'Are you in love with my sister?' Mike boldly asked.

'Yes.'

'Okay,' Mike was surprised at the quickness of the response.

'You have nothing to fear from me in regard to Louise,' James assured the younger man, 'She means too much to me.'

'Good,' Mike sighed, 'I'll be sad to kill a higher ranking officer cuz he fucked with my little sister.'

'I don't think I would be very happy about it either,' James chuckled, 'Seriously, your sister is one of the better things that have happened to me.'

Mikes reply was interrupted as James' earpiece activated.

'Flt Lt Johnson?' The voice of Gate Tech Banks could be heard over the gate activation alarms, 'Dr Weir has asked me to inform you of a teleconference between Atlantis and Earth starting in a few moments.'

'Five minutes,' James gulped down a hot mouthful of coffee, 'I'll be there in five minutes.'

'Forgot a meeting?' Mike sipped at his coffee.

'Yeah,' James replied as he hurriedly rearranged his flight suit, 'Keep the coffee, but I'm going to need you to follow me out.'

A few moments later the two men left the quarters; one calmly drinking a mug of coffee, the other quickly walking down the corridor towards the nearest transporter.


	11. Chapter 11

Hello again, happy to announce the final three chapters of this story are beta'd and ready to post. Here's the first of the trio & the other two will be online during the week. As with all the other chapters, there is a bit of potty mouth-ness, so cover the little innocent eyes. This chapter also has comments that show just where these stories are in relation to SG1, SGA & SGU's timelines

The disclaimer - a lot of the content in the Churchill stories are not mine, but belong to the people that created the shows.

'JJ,' James glared at Sheppard as he entered Elizabeth's office. Someone had set up a large monitor directly in front of Elizabeth's desk. Glancing at the screen James froze momentarily before coming to attention, his hand raised in salute.

''Cdre Hamilton. I wasn't informed that you'd be joining us today.' James frowned slightly.

'I thought I'd have a look around here before I take command of the RSF,' Air Cdre Craig Hamilton replied. `I also happen to be the bearer of good and bad news Johnson.'

'The Good news is that the RSF has approved your request to pursue a relationship with Flight Officer Louise Sahara as long as it does not interfere with both of your duties in the RSF.'

Schooling his face, James forced himself to remain calm and collected.

'The bad news is that we've had some rather major events take place in the Ida galaxy.'

'Serious?' Sheppard sat forward in his chair as Elizabeth repeated the word.

Looking off to the side Hamilton made room for General O'Neill to appear in the screen.

''The Asgard are dead.' O'Neill went straight to the point.

'What?' Elizabeth sat stunned as Sheppard expressed his surprise.

'They made a mistake with their cloning research, 'O'Neill answered solemnly. 'They were dying and instead of waiting to die slowly, they committed mass suicide.'

'All of them?' Sheppard's jaw dropped.

'That's correct, Hermiod came to see me a few days before Thor arrived to pick him up. He asked me to send on a short video message he had recorded for you all. I believe he spent the last few days on Earth with Dr Novak.'

'How is she?' Elizabeth asked.

'Taking a short leave of absence,' O'Neill sighed. 'But this isn't the most important development. The Asgard invited SG-1, Landry and the Odyssey to Ida where they gave us a database of their entire knowledge. Everything from ship designs to the complete history of their race is in the Database,' O'Neill sighed. 'Of course, they didn't want to make it easy for us, so it's all in Asgard. We've had to spend the last few weeks translating the information.'

'So far we've focused on the ship technology and we have translated enough to be able to upgrade the tech in the numerous ships in our arsenal,' O'Neill looked over at the silent Hamilton. 'Your turn.'

'Flt Lt Johnson,´ Hamilton started. 'I hereby order you and your available crew to return to the Milky Way ASAP to have your 306 fitted with the available upgrades. As I understand it,' Hamilton continued. 'You suffered a hyper drive malfunction on your outward journey. Dr Zelenka's report stated it would take another four days before your ship is repaired. You will not start your return journey until Dr Zelenka is happy that the hyper drive is working properly.'

'Yes Sir,' James noted the hidden comments in Hamilton's words and expression. 'May I be dismissed to relay the information to my crew?'

'Dismissed.'

James saluted before calmly stepping out the office, his slow walk switching to a sprint as he reached the control room.

SCENE

Stretching, Richard attempted to reach a small port directly underneath the hyper drive generator installed in the ship. It had taken him ten minutes of squeezing through the bowels of the ship before he had reached the broken port. Just as the piping Richard held in his outstretched hand touched the port, his earpiece activated.

'Richard!' James sounded conflicted in Richard´s ear. Jumping in surprise Richard dropped the piping.

'What?' Richard snapped as he tried to find the fallen piping.

'We've just received new orders from Air Cdre Hamilton, as soon as you can get the hyper drive working safely, you and I are to return to Earth with the Ship.'

'What about Lou?' Richard grunted as he managed to reach the dropped piping.

'We'll be leaving her here to recover from her injuries,' James replied. 'Don't know yet if we'll be coming back to get her or if she'll come back with the Daedalus.'

'But?' Richard could hear the unsaid word in James' voice.

'Cdre Hamilton had a reply to the request I sent back home.' James skidded slightly as he turned the corner to the infirmary.

'And?' Richard halted his efforts to insert the piping into the hyper drive.

'They said Yes.' James answered as he arrived at Lou's bedside. Switching of his earpiece James missed the quip Richard made.

'Who said yes?' Lou sleepily mumbled. Shifting slightly in her bed Lou turned her head to meet James in a quick kiss.

'While you were in the coma I decided something,' James sat down on a chair he'd left there the night before. 'I couldn't have things stay the way they were, even if it meant me leaving the RAF. I spoke to Richard about this and he mentioned a loophole.'

'You remember the two USAF officers we met back in Nevada?' Lou nodded slightly at the question. 'Well it turns out they were part of the original Stargate team. No one is quite sure when, but the two of them fell for each other. A few years ago O'Neill was offered a promotion, but he'd only take it if the USAF Frat Regs could be erased for the US Stargate Program. When the IOA was created it was decided that the involved countries with Frat Regs would have them waived for their Stargate Program.'

'So what would we have to do to take us any further?' Lou frowned at James' innocent look, 'You've already done something haven't you?'

'I have,' James replied. 'I sent a request back to Earth for us to explore this,' James motioned between himself and Lou. 'And they've replied.'

'What did they say?' Lou asked nervously.

Grinning James leant down and gently kissed Lou. 'They said yes.'

'Good, now what's the bad news?' Lou sighed as she took one of James hands in her less injured one.

'Who says there's bad news?' James frowned.

'Hey,' Lou threw James a look. 'I know you. You've got that look on your face when something you don't like is happening.'

'There's been some developments with the Asgard,' James sighed. 'Looks like they're all dead.'

'Shit,' Lou gasped. 'How?'

'They messed up their cloning research and left every clone with some disease. Instead of all dying slowly and painfully they committed mass suicide.'

'Fuck,' Lou cursed. 'How badly is this going to affect Earth?'

'Greatly,' James replied. 'The Asgard fitted the Odyssey with a Database Core.'

'What?' Lou frowned.

'It's basically a database of their entire knowledge,' James shook his head in amazement. 'An entire race's knowledge just handed over in a big computer. Irritatingly, they decided to leave it in their language, so we've had to translate it bit by bit.'

'Couldn't make it too easy eh?' Lou grinned.

'It seems that the people translating the core have focused on anything to do with ship construction and technology and have already come up with a number of upgrades that can be added.'

'They want the ship back to put these upgrades on don't they?' Lou groaned. 'When?'

'Technically the orders are to load up and leave ASAP,' James smirked. 'But Hamilton theorizes the repairs could take up to four days, and he really would prefer it if we don't break down again.'

'Sneaky man,' Lou grinned. 'Can Richard handle the repairs on his own?'

'Oh he'll be fine,' James waved his hand dismissively. 'It's you I'm more worried about. We can only delay the return journey for so long before people get annoyed at us.'

'And you can't take me with you in this state can you?' Lou sighed.

'As much as I love you with me,' James replied gently. 'I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you on the way home.'

'It's not fair is it?' Lou groaned. 'Just when I can have you, you're taken away from me.'

'Hey,' James carefully cupped the less bruised side of Lou's face with his hand. 'Nothing can take you away from me now, we may not be in the same place, But you'll never lose me ok?'

Nodding Lou fought the lump back down her throat.

'Hey,' James suddenly perked up. 'I've got something that might help pass the time.'

'What?' Lou frowned as James stood up.

'Gimme five minutes,' James turned and sprinted out the infirmary before Lou could say anymore.

SCENE

Having grabbed the object in question from his quarters James hurried back to the Infirmary to find Lou had been moved.

'Hey Doc,' James spotted Keller across the large room. 'Where's Lou?'

'Carson's taken her to have some scans done,' Keller replied. 'She should be back in about half an hour.'

'Can someone radio me when she's back.´ James looked over at the empty space that he'd left Lou in.

'Someone will radio you and let you know.' Keller assured the officer.

SCENE

Entering his ship for the first time in a few days James noted the small cargo mover was missing. Walking to the back of the empty hold James stepped into the rear lift and pressed the middle button.

The lift doors closed automatically and James shifted as he felt the lift rise then stop. Turning round James stepped out of the rear of the lift into the large engine room.

'Richard?' James looked around the empty room. 'You in here?'

'Down here!' Richards voice sounded muffled. Looking closer James spotted a pair of feet sticking out of a access vent.

'James?' Richard sounded annoyed. 'I need you to pull me out, kinda stuck here.'

Laughing James grabbed Richard's feet and pulled.

'OW!' Richard muttered as his shoulder impacted with the vent. 'Not so rough!'

'Sorry,' James failed quell his chuckles. 'Hey, where's the forklift thingie?'

'Sheppard's borrowed it, 'Richard replied. 'One of the jumpers failed on the Alpha site. He's taken the thing to see if they can bring the Jumper back through the gate. If they can't then we'll just have to take a side trip over there on our way back.'

'Speaking of which,' James sighed. 'How's the ship? Everything working fine now?'

'I think so,' Richard replied. 'Though I'd prefer running a short test flight before we go.'

'Don't blame you,' James replied. 'When do you want to do this?'

'You know,' Richard smirked. 'We don't really need you for this. Just me, a few scientists and a spare jumper in case it goes wrong should be enough. Gives you more time with Lou before we go.'

'Makes sense,' James grinned. 'When do you want to see Elizabeth about this?'

'I was gonna check in on Lou then head on up,' Richard replied as he started clearing up the numerous tools laying around the engine room.

'Ah,' James paused, 'Carson's taken her to have some scans, see how she's healing. Keller wasn't sure when they'd get back.'

'Then I'll go see her now,' Richard finished packing the tools away. 'You coming with me?'

'Yeah.' James replied as both men entered the small lift.

SCENE

'I can spare Zelenka, Smith and Freeman.' Dr Rodney McKay answered.

'And I'll tag along with the Jumper.' Sheppard drawled from his slouched position in a nearby chair. The attempt to use the ship's cargo mover had succeeded and the damaged Jumper was nestled safely in the Jumper bay over the main control room for Atlantis.

'James?' Carson suddenly spoke into James' ear. 'Jennifer told me to radio you and let ye know the lass is back in the Infirmary proper and free for visitors.'

'Thanks Carson,' James touched the earpiece as he replied before turning to the room. 'Sorry, Beckett took Lou for some scans.'

'How is she?' McKay was the first to ask.

'She's doing well,' James replied. ´Hopefully we'll know just how long we'll be without her when I see Carson.'

'Go see her,' Sheppard waved his hand at the door. 'We'll organize the test flight and let you when we're free.'

'Thanks,' James got up and started out the small office but stopped and turned back at the doorway. 'Listen. Thank you. I don't know if we could have rescued her by ourselves. McKay,' James turned to the scientist. 'You especially. You didn't have to come with the others, and you may have Richard reaching for his sidearm when I mention your name, but you freely volunteered to help find Lou and you have my thanks.'

Turning James didn't fail to spot the scientists mouth fall open and his face redden in embarrassment as he walked through the Control Room and down on to the lower level of the Gate room.

SCENE

Entering the Infirmary for the hundredth time since he'd flown to the formerly lost city of Atlantis, he spotted Lou sleeping in a nearby bed so James searched out one of the two Doctors, finding Keller sat in the office.

'Hey Doc,' James grinned as he poked his head through the door. 'How's Lou doing?'

'She's doing great for someone with her injuries.´ Keller replied as she reached for a nearby file. Opening it she scanned the front page before speaking.

'Louise is going to be with us for a while now. Her fingers and nose will heal normally and the pin in her ankle will be taken out in three weeks. She'll be restricted to the bed for the next two weeks to let her ribs heal and will be told to be VERY careful once she's up and about so she doesn't injure them again. Apart from that it's just a case of rest and relaxation for the next few weeks, maybe a month and a half. Light exercise and duties for another two months after that and, if she doesn't push herself too hard and re-injure herself, she should be back to full fitness in 6-7 months.'

'Oooh,' James winced. 'She's not going to like that.'

'She didn't,' Keller giggled. 'She chewed Carson's ear off when he told her. I swear some of the Marines who were in here at the time were blushing.'

Laughing James grinned. 'That's my girl.'

'Ah yes,' Keller smirked. 'That's something else, no strenuous activities while you're here.'

'Damn.' James pulled a mock annoyed face.

'James?' Lou gently called out from her bed. 'Leave the Doc alone.'

'Hey, sleeping beauty awakes,' James grinned as he slipped over to Lou's bed. 'Keller was just updating me on how long you'll be here.'

'Hmf,' Lou huffed. 'Fucking annoying. Can't do shit for two weeks! I'll go loco before then.'

'Lucy would argue you haven't already.´ James chuckled as he mentioned his sister.

Turning to the small envelope he held in a pocket of his Flight uniform James sobered. 'This might help…'

Opening the envelope James pulled out a small photograph before handing it to Louise.

'What?' Lou frowned and looked up at James. 'When, fuck, where was this taken?'

'Remember the camping trip three years ago,' James slid into the chair beside Lou's bed as he explained. 'Well Richard got a bit snap-happy during the meteor shower the last night. He had it in his personal hard drive on his Laptop for a few months before I came across it looking for one of his late reports.'

Lou silently traced a finger over the photo. The image before her was of her and James asleep on a blanket. Lou had thrown her left leg over James and had her head resting on his chest. What shocked Lou wasn't that they had moved into each other as they slept, but it was the expressions they both wore. Lou looked carefree and the frown lines on James' head had vanished. Both wore an expression of familiarity and, to Lou's utter shock, love.'

'Wow.' Lou quietly gasped.

'Yeah,' James chuckled. ´My thoughts exactly when I found this. I've kept it with me since.'

'Hopefully this can keep the blues away while I'm not with you,' James continued after a minutes silence. 'As much as I want to stay here with you I know I can't.'

Noticing Lou uncharacteristically tearing up James gently stroked her cheek, pulling her gaze from the photo to him. 'That was when I fell in love with you, you know. That night.'

Smiling James gently leant over and kissed Lou's forehead. 'It had been a while for me.'

Hooking a foot round a nearby chair, James dragged to Lou's bedside and sat down, 'You look like you were worn out by the tests. Go to sleep, I'll sit here and make sure no one interrupts.'

'Thank you,' Lou murmured as her eyelids drooped. James sat for a hour watching Lou sleep before he too nodded off, his head resting next to Lou's thigh.

This was how Keller found them a few minutes later. Smiling the young woman quietly pulled a curtain round the bed, protecting the couple from unwanted attention.


	12. Chapter 12

SCENE

Richard was conflicted. He was happy that the test activation of the repaired hyper drive had gone off without a hitch, but he also knew that it mean he and James would have to load the ship up and return to Earth. Gently bringing the large freighter to a rest on one of Atlantis' piers, Richard sighed. He was not looking forward to the return trip home.

'Hey, why the sad face.' Sheppard looked over from the captains chair. Utterly bored during the trip he'd taken to flying aerobatics in the cargo hold with the Cargo mover.

'I've got to tell James that he's going to have to leave Lou behind tomorrow.'

'Ah,' Sheppard's eyebrows flicked upwards. 'Yes...that.'

Shutting down the different systems Richard looked out over the cityscape out the bridge window.

'Beautiful isn't she?' Radek Zelenka muttered.

'Yeah,' Richard replied. 'I just wish we could have had a better look at her while we were here. I mean, how many people can say they've been to the Lost City of Atlantis?'

'No-one,' Sheppard drawled. 'Well, officially anyway.'

'There is that,' Richard chuckled before sighing. 'Better get this over and done with.'

SCENE

Landing the cargo mover in the Jumper Bay, Richard shut down the craft before opening the hatch and stepping out. Spotting the damaged jumper a few feet away Richard walked out of the large room and down into the hectic space that is the Atlantis control room.

'I hear that the test went fine,' James spoke up from his position leaning against a railing overlooking the Stargate.

'Yeah,' Richard replied as he walked over. 'Sheppard's upstairs waiting for me to let you know, so we can get on with moving the crippled Jumper to the ship.'

'Why are we taking it back home again? Most of the systems are dead,' James frowned. 'Wouldn't it be better off here as spare parts for the other jumpers up there?'

'The powers that be back on Earth want it to study,' Sheppard suddenly slipped into the conversation. 'Something about studying the working drive pod to see if they can create their own.'

'That could be interesting,' James perked up a bit. 'That could be very interesting if they can create a drive train like that. Imagine the possibilities.'

'I'm told there's a handful of ship designs waiting on whether or not the geeks back on Earth can get it working.' Sheppard ignored the glares sent his way by McKay, who was working on something at the back of the control room.

'You wanna get on with it?' Richard looked from his friend and colleague to the Lt Col.

'Yea,' Sheppard nodded. 'Elizabeth got some encrypted communication about half an hour, she's called a meeting in an hour for the important ones around here.'

'Ah good,' James grinned. 'While they're in the meeting you can help Richie with the moving.'

'Oh ha-ha,' Sheppard rolled his eyes. 'Come on, let's get this done.'

'I'll go let Lou know the news.' James muttered as he pushed himself off the railing.

SCENE

Sliding into the seat next to the bed containing Lou, James was content to let the younger woman sleep.

'What do you want?' Lou mumbled, her eyes remaining closed.

'Richard's done it.' James simply replied, causing Lou's eyes to whip open and train on Richards face.

'When are you going?' Lou somberly replied, her eyes the only hint at the emotional hurt of her crew leaving without her.

'Tomorrow, we've got to get a broken Jumper in the hold before we can get the rest of the cargo in.' James reached out and clasped Lou's less injured hand in his.

'Curse Richards's efficiency.' Lou attempted a grin, but failed miserably.

SCENE

As the other members of his crew softly spoke in the Infirmary, Richard was standing in the Jumper Bay a few floors above.

'Hey,' McKay suddenly entered the large room, making a popping sound with his hands. 'How are you going to get the jumper out to the ship if you could get it only a few feet off the ground?'

'I was just thinking about that.' Richard sighed as he looked up at the closed Bay roof.

'Well how about this?' McKay pulled a tablet out of somewhere and started tapping on the touch screen. 'The crane in the Cargo Bay, how far does it reach?'

'Two hundred feet.' Richard replied.

'Ok,' McKay tapped a series of commands into his tablet. 'Ah. Right, you,' McKay pointed at Richard. 'Go get your ship and move it to a point as close to the top of the tower as you safely can. Sheppard,' McKay turned to his friend. 'Have the cargo mover, you need better name for that by the way, connect to the Jumper then lift it as high as you can.'

'I think I know where' you're going with this,' Richard snapped his fingers. 'If I bank the ship I can get a bit more out of the cables. We might be able to get the crane close enough that we can snatch the jumper off the cargo mover, then use the crane to get it the rest of the way.'

'That's not a bad idea McKay,' Sheppard slapped Rodney on the back. 'If we stick a couple more jumpers out there as observers I think we could do this.'

'Of course it's a good idea,' McKay replied indigently. 'I came up with it.'

Two sets of eyes rolling was the only reply McKay received for his comments before the trio scattered to start setting up the plan.

SCENE

'Can you get the jumper a few feet higher?' Richard yelled into his radio as he stood at the door of the Cargo Bay. Upon hearing the plan James had insisted in piloting the ship while Richard stood, three safety cables tying him to the ship, at the open Cargo Bay doors with the crane controls in his hand.

'No,' Sheppard replied tightly as he struggled to keep the little ship and its cargo in the air.

'Richard, how close are we to the tower tip?' James' comments were equally tight.

'Too close already,' Richard winced as the ship shuddered in the strong wind that blew across the tower top. 'We're in danger of hitting the tower as it is.'

'Sheppard,' McKay entered the conversation, directing Sheppard to flip a series of switches in the cargo mover's cabin in a hope to gain more power.

'You've only got three goes at this before you burn the engine out on that thing, so get it right.'

Muttering something, most probably obscene about McKay, Sheppard followed the Canadian scientist's instructions. Feeling a burst in power Sheppard managed to raise the ship higher, barely into the reach of the grapple hook dangling off the Freighters cargo crane.

'That's it!' One of the Jumper observers suddenly yelled and Richard slammed his hand on the closure button on the crane controls. A moment later the same voice announced, 'It's in the hook, pull it up.'

Disconnecting the magnetic clamps on the Cargo mover's pincers Sheppard felt the power start to fall on the little ship. 'That's it, I'm losing power. I'm landing this thing before I crash.'

'I'd prefer that mate,' James muttered as he carefully moved the freighter up and away from the top of the main tower. 'Richard, when can I right this thing?'

'Almost there,' Richard replied distractedly. 'Now!'

With a gentle flick of his wrists James brought the large freighter out of its bank and level with the horizon.

'Jumper down,' Richard announced a minute later. 'Doors closing. You can land this thing now.'

'Good,' James sighed in relief as he brought the ship down towards its landing spot. 'That would have gone better with Lou at the controls.'

'But you were fine mate,' Richard replied as James landed the ship. 'Look, it's going to be weird without Lou around for a while, but we've done it a few times before.'

'I know,' James snapped. 'And stop thinking I can't do my fucking job if the team isn't together ok!'

'Did I say that?' Richard hotly replied. 'No. Now pull your mind together or I have half a mind to forcibly do it myself.'

Disconnecting himself from the safety cables that held him in place a few minutes ago Richard huffed and walked down the access ramp towards the nearest entrance to Atlantis.

SCENE

'Oi,' Lou glared as James entered the Infirmary a few hours later. 'What's this I'm hearing about you being an arse?'

'I've been a bit grumpy I know.' James replied as he flopped into a nearby chair.

'Grumpy?' Lou twitched her left eyebrow. 'That's a mild way of putting it. You bit Richard's head off cuz the cargo mover's dead. Look,' Lou softened her voice. 'I know you hate it when the team is split up, but you have your orders and I have mine…'

'Wait,' James twitched. 'What orders?'

'Seeing as I'm here for a bit,' Lou rolled her eyes, 'The brass back home want me to speak with all the RSF personnel here on Atlantis, record the 'talks' and report back when I've recovered enough to go home.'

'Lucky you,' James smirked. 'Look, I know I was a bit harsh earlier. It's just that I've got a really bad feeling about leaving you here alone. I know you can handle yourself just fine, but its still nagging away at me.'

'Even so,' Lou replied. 'Just cuz you're worried about me, and you shouldn't be, you didn't have to bite Richards head off.'

'If you carry on like this then Hamilton might decide to rescinded his decision about us,' Lou continued. 'And I for one don't want that.'

'Now,' Lou's face switched from a stern glare to a cheeky smirk. 'Get up here, I want a hug.'

'Yes Ma'am.' James grinned as he carefully clambered up onto Lou's bed.

SCENE

Gasping loudly James jerked and sat up in his bed, his dream once again feeling too real and his sense of foreboding doom overshadowing his dark Quarters. Slipping out of bed James noticed the alarm clock on a nearby table. 0518.

Scrubbing a hand over his face James stumbled across to the small shower unit. Standing under the cold spray James tried to calm his nerves. Since he was young James had always sensed problems before they arose, something that had aided him in his career in the RAF.

Since learning that he was to be forced to leave Louise on Atlantis while he and Richard took the ship back to Earth, James had had the sense that it would end in disaster, the feeling growing the closer he got to leaving.

Growling softly in frustration James stepped out the spray and toweled himself down before moving back into the main room of his quarters to dress.

Five minutes later, a steaming flask of coffee in his hand and his flight suit unzipped to his waist, James left his quarters and headed towards the balcony Richard had mentioned received the best view of sunrise over Atlantis.


	13. Chapter 13

Final chapter of Churchill Two, thank you to any and all that have stuck with this and my not so good upload timeline. I will have to work it our with the Lovely Pegasus Angel (my wonderful Beta), but hopefully Churchill Three won't have such a crazy update timeline.

As with all the stuff i post here, If you've seen it in Stargate then it's not mine and i hold no claim to it. Enjoy.

SCENE

Sat in the plastic chair he'd so often used, James looked over at the sleeping Lou. The ship was loaded and ready for departure, but both remaining pilots were hesitant of leaving before speaking with their injured crew mate.

'You wanna wake her up?' Richard muttered.

'Not really,' James sighed. 'But someone needs to.'

Standing up James leant over Lou's sleeping body and gently pressed his lips to her forehead.

'Hmmmm...' Lou groaned and shifted in the bed.

'Louise?' James gently called. 'Lou? You awake?'

'No,' Lou muttered. 'But you're not gonna let me be unless I wake up are you?'

'No,' Richard replied as he leant on the end of her bed.

'Lou,' James crouched down so he was level with her face as she cracked open her eyelids. 'We've loaded up the ship and we've got a departure time of twenty minutes time. Neither of us could leave without saying goodbye first.'

'Already?' Lou groaned.

'It's 1100,' James smirked as Richard silently slipped over to Carson's office, finding the Scottish doctor sat at his desk. 'About time you were awake I say.'

Leaning down James pressed his lips to Lou's, happy to feel her reacting to the touch. While Lou's facial injuries were healing, they were still; painful to the touch, which made activities like kissing painful. Despite the pain sprouting across her face, Lou deepened the kiss, murmuring her pleasure at the sensations James was sending through her.

A few minutes later a gentle cough ended the kiss. Looking up both officers reddened slightly as Carson stood at the end of the bed.

'As much as I'd love to let ye carry on, remember the young lass is still recovering.'

'We are.' Both officers replied in unison.

'Good,' Carson smiled. 'Carry on.'

Turning back to Lou, James smiled. 'I love you'

'Love you too,' Lou replied. 'Stay safe and I'll see you soon ok?'

'Ok,' James replied. 'Only if you do the same.'

'Of course.' Lou's smile was becoming watery.

'Hey,' James gently stroked Lou's face. 'What's with the waterworks? I don't think I've seen you cry more than five times since I met you, and most of those were at your dad's grave.'

'It's the drugs,' Lou chuckled, despite the tear running down her cheek. 'Can you look in on Dad while I'm here?'

'You shouldn't have to ask,' James replied, spotting Richard hovering out the corner of his eye. 'You know that it'll be the first thing I do once I get back in old Blighty.'

'I think someone wants to say see-ya-later.' James motioned to Richard.

Stepping back James let Richard slip into the spot he was vacating.

'Hey,' Richard smiled. 'You going to be ok here without us?'

'I've got Mike,' Lou tried to smile. 'But it won't be the same without you two.'

'A lot quieter eh?' Richard chuckled. 'Listen, you need us and I don't care where we are or what mission we are on, we'll come to get you ok?'

Nodding Lou let a few more tears slip past her defenses. 'I love you, you know.'

'Yeah,' Richard leant over to kiss Lou's forehead. 'Not as much as James though eh?'

'Different way,' Lou giggled then winced as her still healing ribs protested. 'Keep an eye on him ok?'

'Of Course.' Richard replied seriously as the sounds of a set of boots approached the bed.

'Hey Sis.' Mike slid into a chair next to Lou's bed.

'Hey Mikey,' Lou answered with the nickname she called Mike before the family had imploded. 'Thought you'd be up in the air right now.'

'I called him earlier and kind of ordered him to be here,' James muttered. 'Didn't want you to be alone when we left.'

Grinning Lou motioned for James to lean closer. Once in range Lou leant forward and kissed James quickly but passionately before pulling back. 'Now go before I tie you two down and stop you from leaving me here.'

'Yes Ma'am,' James quietly replied, his gaze not leaving Lou's eyes until he abruptly stood up and walked out the Infirmary, not able to look back in case he couldn't leave the room.

'I'd better go after him,' Richard pointed at the door. 'Before he leaves me behind.'

'See you two soon.' Lou reached out and grasped Richards hand gently before he too turned and left the room.

'So,' Mike attempted to divert Lou's attention from her departing crew mates to something else entirely. 'What's this about you parking your plane upside down?'

SCENE

The mood on the bridge was tense and quiet. Neither man could ignore the empty seat that Lou had sat in on the outward trip.

'Lets get the fuck out of here.' James motioned out the bridge window at the blackness of space.

Wordlessly Richard threw the ship into Hyperspace, leaning back in his seat once the ship was securely in the shifting blue tube of a hyperspace journey.

Five minutes later James stood up and muttered about coffee. Taking the stairs down to the overhead walkway in the Cargo Bay, James quickly made his way to the living quarters and Galley.

Flicking on the coffee maker James scrubbed both hands over his face. The growing sense of foreboding doom that had plagued him in his last few days on Atlantis was now a screaming bellow in his mind and it took everything not to pull the ship out of hyperspace and return to Atlantis.

Pouring out a mug of the black liquid James crossed to the lounge area and deposited himself in one of the armchairs.

'Please God,' James muttered. 'Don't let anything happen to Lou while she's there.'


End file.
